Patrick Mullins on the Cheltenham Festival, amateur records and his future

Whilst eyeing up an amateur riders record and his prospects as a future trainer, Patrick Mullins is making sure he doesn't take the Mullins family success for granted ahead of another Cheltenham Festival invasion next month from Closutton.

By Steve Jones

17th February 2018,6:00 am

PATRICK MULLINS has only ever known good horses.

The heir to father Willie’s magnificent empire grew up with some of jumping’s greatest horses. Now he’s surrounded by them.

As assistant to jump racing’s most powerful trainer he will help his dad prepare their Cheltenham invasion. But his role — as ever — will be two-fold.

The 28-year-old will be taking his boots and saddle with him across the Irish Sea looking to add to his three Festival winners.

Closing in on his tenth Irish amateur jockeys’ title, he holds an ambition to follow his dad into training.

It’s an obvious calling given his grandad Paddy, trainer of Cheltenham legend Dawn Run, as well as uncles and aunts all trod that path. But he’s in no hurry.

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Mullins told me: “I’d like to train but I kind of put it with a wife and mortgage — down the road a little bit.

“I’d love to set up independently like my father did but it maybe wouldn’t make a lot of sense to put money into building something new and then have to come back later.”

He is more focused on next month’s Festival and hunting down Ted Walsh’s long-standing amateur record. After passing 500 winners last September, eight in Grade 1s, it looks inevitable he will get there soon.

Patrick Mullins pictured after winning the John Oaksey National Hunt at the 2013 Cheltenham Festival

Three of those winners came at jump racing’s greatest meeting — Cousin Vinny in the bumper in 2008 and Champagne Fever in the same race four years later. The following season he won the four-mile National Hunt Chase on Back In Focus.

Mullins smiled: “I need to try to win the Kim Muir and the Foxhunter — I think John Oaksey was the only amateur to win the three.

“Hopefully I’ll get a nice horse in the bumper this year. Blackbow was very good at Leopardstown and Hollowgraphic at Punchestown.

“The four-mile chase is a bit open. I rode Rathvinden at Leopardstown — he unseated me but he actually jumped very well.

“We’ll have a few in the Kim Muir but we’ve never had a handicap chase winner at Cheltenham so I might have to jump ship from Willie!”

Out of the saddle Mullins will be part of the team overseeing a squad of invaders to rival the horsepower of General Custer. The Little Bighorn might have seen more arrows than those Mullins will fire in the Cotswolds but it won’t be by many.

Willie stands on 54 Festival winners, just four behind all-time leader Nicky Henderson. With the likes of Getabird, Footpad, Min, Un De Sceaux and Douvan topping a list of Festival contenders as long as the Cheltenham straight, that gap could easily close.

Footpad is one of the leading chances for the Willie Mullins yard at the Cheltenham Festival

Mullins said: “Willie always says you have to appreciate it so we’re enjoying it while we can.

“When I was growing up we were always second to Noel Meade in the trainers’ championship. It was always ‘can we beat Noel this year?’ I remember going over to Cheltenham with one good horse when Florida Pearl won the bumper and the RSA.

“Nowadays we travel with eight or nine favourites.

“It won’t last. Gordon and Gigginstown are putting it up to us.”

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Despite the memories of Cheltenham glory, there is one race even more magical — the Grand National.

Mullins jnr failed to make it on the second circuit in two rides in the great race but it still has the name Mullins on the roll of honour.

Willie trained Hedgehunter to Aintree glory in 2005 and cousin David was on Rule The World when he won for Mouse Morris two years ago.